faith Archives

GUEST POST: New Year: New Hurts, New Hopes – Next Steps

Christmastime brings family together, and that’s a good thing.

As an old year closes and a new one opens, December celebrations hopefully leave us with rich and positive memories. Yet sometimes all the family togetherness also leaves us with disappointment or a new burden to bear.

Maybe you are reveling in some positive holiday afterglow. That’s good – soak it up. Family is one of the greatest joys because good relationships can reflect a foretaste of the Divine. At the same time, we aren’t in Heaven and therefore relational strain, “growth opportunities” and downright abusive situations must be faced.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 29, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Words of Kindness, Source of Healing

One day, well into her adult years, Florence Littauer’s dad invited her into a tiny back room of the little store he’d operated for decades, reached into a hiding place behind an upright piano against a back wall, and retrieved an old cigar box.

Inside were a handful of articles he had published in the local paper. Until then, Florence had no idea her father was a writer. He’d never discovered his true potential because no one had ever encouraged him.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 27, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Women who Welcomed the Birth of Jesus

Merry Christmas! I’m sure you’re looking forward to time with your family as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ tomorrow.

Today, we’re bringing you a special message by popular author and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs, sharing at one of our staff chapels about how the very first Christmas in Bethlehem changed the world forever. That’s a familiar story, of course, but with a blend of biblical truth and a great sense of humor, Liz provides a fresh perspective through the eyes of the first women to meet baby Jesus.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 24, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO: Merry Christmas!

Christmas traditions vary by family and organization, but I wanted to share a new one from the Focus campus here in Colorado Springs.

For the first time ever, we planted and lit a 30 foot evergreen tree here at the front of our property. We also dedicated and lit a beautiful new creche beside it.

Just a week after the lighting, a massive windstorm of 100 mph gusts blew through the town, toppling ten other trees on our property.

The Focus Christmas tree survived!

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 22, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Navigating a Toxic Culture with Your Daughter

Our culture is so toxic that an increasing number of young girls are suffering from a growing list of troubles – from low self-esteem and anxiety to depression and eating disorders.

What’s the answer? It isn’t so much a “what” as it is a “who.”

Mothers.

Mom, you are instrumental in helping your daughter navigate a world that is often against her. An effective way to do that is to be a good listener. Your daughter is much more likely to share her heart with you than with Dad.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, kids, parenting, pop culture December 16, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What to Do When You’re Not Okay

Here’s a discouraging fact: You’re probably not as healthy as you think you are.

According to a long line of psychological studies, we tend to see ourselves as better than we are. Social scientists call this the Better-Than-Average Effect. We’re compelled to put our best face forward and suppress our inadequacies. We look like we have it together on the outside even when we don’t have it together on the inside.

The last year and a half has shown how important it is to take care of ourselves emotionally, physically, relationally, and spiritually.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 14, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Sharing Your Faith with Grace and Purpose

Focus on the Family serves the culture according to five foundational pillars.

The first pillar is evangelism and discipleship. “We believe the ultimate purpose of life is to know and glorify God and to attain eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, beginning within our own families and then reaching out to a suffering humanity that needs to embrace His love and sacrifice.”

Although every Christian would agree with that truth, many shy away from evangelism.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 10, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Identifying Triggers in Your Marriage

Guy and Amber Lia were convinced that their marriage was a mistake soon after the mountaintop experience of their wedding. Neither had the communication skills to work through their differences. They reacted to each other instead of responding. Their relationship spiraled, and they considered throwing in the towel.

Every dating couple imagines marriage as a string of mountaintop experiences. Life will never be perfect, but we can’t fathom romance fading. We can’t foresee our conversations not stretching into the wee hours of the night.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage December 8, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Mothers and Sons: Being a Godly Influence

Jesus’ mother was Mary.

The prophet Samuel’s mother was Hannah.

King David’s mother?

The Bible doesn’t tell us, but she must have had tremendous insight into how boys become men because she didn’t rescue her son from risk. David was a teenager when he conquered Goliath relying on strength and trust in the Lord he developed in the field. First Samuel 17:34-36 says:

“But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, kids, parenting December 6, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Embracing Your Role as a Spouse

On our Best of 2021 list of Focus on the Family Broadcasts is “Embracing Your Role as a Spouse,” with our guest Kevin Thompson. On the program, he describes the three roles of a spouse:

As friends, spouses play and laugh together.As partners, spouses handle conflict and communicate well.As lovers, spouses put sizzle into their relationship.

Kevin is the lead pastor at Community Bible Church in western Arkansas and regularly counsels couples. He’s also a conference speaker with popular talks about the topics of marriage and parenting.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage December 3, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura